China Western

CHINA WESTERN refers to Xinjiang, the westernmost chinese province. It borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikstan, Kirgizstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Autoctonous uighurs are musmlim, have turkish origins, and claim independence for what they call East Turkestan from the chinese, whom they consider an occupying colonial power. Xinjiang is very rich in oil and gas, and it's the chinese natural way towards Caspian oil reservoirs. China is tightening commercial and political ties with several countries in Central Asia in order to open new commercial land routes to the Caucasus and, eventually, Europe. This project tries to give a broad vision of a complex and poorly known situation that may evolve in ways that could potentially affect the rest opf the world. All the photos were shot in December 2006, 2007 and 2008.La Fabrica published this book in 2010. Preview and buy the book.